


Temporary Alliances

by President Romana (asoldandtrueasthesky)



Category: Gallifrey (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: Gen, eu secret santa 2015
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 15:42:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6664549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asoldandtrueasthesky/pseuds/President%20Romana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Universe has a tendency to conspire against Narvin. [Written for the EU secret santa, prompt given was `something with narvin`]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Temporary Alliances

Narvin was not looking forward to work. That might not be a particularly significant sentiment for most but Narvin wasn’t used to preferring sleep over a day of managing the CIA. It had to be the tiredness getting to him- he’d been having trouble sleeping recently and had no idea why, his quarters were comfortable and no thought in particular plagued him, it was almost as if his mind was rebelling against him.

His day wasn’t particularly busy yet but the suns had barely risen, no doubt there would soon be a queue of people waiting to complicate his job. Until then he was planning to relax with a small pile of reports on recent interplanetary incidents- he didn’t need to read them really, Torvald would provide shorter verbal versions but he read as many as he could when he had the time.

Unfortunately before he could even reach his office Torvald hastened to catch up with him. “Coordinator!”

He regarded Torvald with his usual morning grouchiness. “Did I not say that I wasn’t to be disturbed unless some part of the building’s on fire? I don’t have any appointments yet, I checked.”

“The President’s asked for you.”

Narvin started to walk to his office, the interruption forgiven. “Make up an excuse. I really don’t have the time to be dealing with whatever ill-informed liberal policy our esteemed President has naively thought up this time in a misguided effort to-“He stopped, realising far too late that his office wasn’t empty.

“Is that what you think of me, Narvin?”

“Ah, Madam President,” he said, visibly flustered as he tried to find a way out of the hole he’d dug himself into, “I wasn’t aware you were in the immediate vicinity.”

“Clearly.”

“My apologies, Madam.”

“Oh, I’ve heard far worse, you should hear what Darkel says to my face. Sit down, Coordinator. It is your office.”

“I’m aware.” He muttered, sitting down and resisting the urge to flick through the untouched files on his desk.

“You need to stop spying on the monans.”

“I’m not spying on the monans.”

“Your agency is.”

“There are no agents currently on the hostworld.”

“They have proof, Narvin, and I wasn’t loomed yesterday.”

“Alright.” He conceded. “We’ll endeavour to not be caught next time.”

“There won’t be a next time! How are we meant to ask them to trust us when we won’t trust them?”  

“You want us to stop because it’s making interplanetary politics hard for you, I expect. Politics should never come before the security of our planet or the Web of Time.”

“Very hard, yes. We’re trying to negotiate a treaty that will protect the Web of Time, your paranoia will have to make some sacrifices.”

“That’s a waste of time. They’ll never adhere to it, that’s why we need to spy on them and that’s not just me being paranoid, Madam President. Put it to a vote and the entire High Council will agree with me, the entire population even.”

“Then it’s a good thing we’re not really much of a democracy.”  

“You’re fine with ignoring everyone else’s opinion? You’re welcome to your idealism, Madam President, but you can’t allow it to weaken our security.”

“So you don’t think we should even attempt diplomacy?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Then it’s a good thing you’re not in charge of foreign policy, I’m sure you’d have started a time war by now.”

“I don’t doubt it, I never claimed to be any good at diplomacy.”

“Look, these negotiations are important. If they do start to practice dangerous time travel what recourse will we have if they haven’t signed any treaties?”

“The CIA don’t need laws, we’re not the judiciary! If the monans practice dangerous time travel we’ll neutralise the situation using any means necessary, regardless of interplanetary law.”

“You will not. In the past the CIA may have been given free rein in those situations but I can assure you, I will be deciding what amount of force you may use. There needs to be rules, limits, we can’t go on expecting the rest of the Universe to sit idly by why we throw our weight around and do whatever we like!”

“And if my agents ignore you?”

“There will be severe repercussions for all involved. I do hope you’re not suggesting you’d wilfully disobey me, Narvin. I’m not talking about a forced resignation and a slap on the wrist, I’ll charge you with High Treason myself.”

“As opposed to all those other people who have the power to charge me with High Treason.” Narvin winced at the telepathic flash of anger Romana was projecting, deliberately no doubt. Sarcasm was perhaps not the best way out of this conversation. “I mean, I’d never even entertained the thought, Madam President.”

“Good. You’ll pull your agents out?”

He only hesitated for a moment. “Yes, Madam President.”

 

-

Narvin had just been about to go to sleep, he was sure of it. A hesitant knock interrupted whatever progress he might have made and he reluctantly pulled on his CIA robe. He opened the door, unsurprised to find Torvald on the other side.

“Yes?”

“There’s an… issue.” Torvald said vaguely.

“Is the Web of Time collapsing around us? Is the panopticon on fire?”

“I could come back later?”

“No, come in.”

Torvald walked in, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. “Agent Vandak has publically denounced the fact that we have stopped monitoring the monans at the President’s request. There are rumours that he’ll be mounting a leadership challenge against you.”

Narvin walked to the other side of the room and begun to pace slowly. “Doesn’t that count as leaking to the press? I could just fire him.”

“Well, you could but-“

“-It would look like I fire all my opponents.” Narvin sighed. “Did I mention I hate politics?”

Torvald was silent for a moment before suggesting hesitantly, “You could disobey her.”

“I don’t disobey direct orders without very good reason. This isn’t worth it.”

Torvald shrugged. “If you tell a few people that and let it get out that your hands are tied it’ll all die down. They’ll understand and Romana’s hardly popular herself, if she hasn’t had her position challenged yet I can’t see it happening to you. She’s a _renegade_ , we might as well have her savage bodyguard as President.”

“Oh, show some respect Torvald,” Narvin snapped, “She is still our President and the office, if nothing else, deserves our respect. Say what you like about President Romana but at least have the decency to call her by her title.” 

For a moment, Torvald looked like he was about to argue or worse, advise him to get some sleep. “Yes, Coordinator.”

 

 

Narvin looked up from a pile of paperwork, surprised to find Leela strolling into his office. “Leela. Aren’t you surgically attached to the President these days?

Leela gave him a haughty look but didn’t rise to the bait. “Romana has no need of me. If you are looking to regenerate today you only need to ask, you don’t need to antag-onise me.”

“Has the dog been teaching you big words?”

“K9 knows many things,” she frowned, “more than you ever will.”

“While I’m sure he has effortless fact recall I highly doubt he has any intelligence. He’s a computer from the fifth millennium, he’s hardly sentient.

“Half of you Time Lords do not see me as sentient. You Time Lords understand little outside your sciences and numbers.”

“While I would love to debate what constitutes sentient life I’m working right now. Do you have anything to say worth my time or not?”

“The things your agent said about the monans have been making things harder for Romana.”

“I’m sure they are but I had no hand in it. He’s undermining me, if you hadn’t noticed.”

“That’s what she said. We are fighting a common enemy. But I don’t understand, you are his leader, why do you not just banish him? ”

 “It’s not as easy as that. He hasn’t broken any laws and he’s quite high up, I can’t dismiss him without undeniable cause.”

“You are going to let him get away with it?”

“I am not in the habit of discussing internal CIA business with the Madam President’s bodyguard.”

Leela frowned at him and turned to leave. She hesitated at the door, the beginnings of a plan refusing to leave her head. “What would be illegal?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I could hunt him down and get proof he’s up to something. I do not like traitors.” 

Narvin regarded her for a moment and then nodded, he had enough to deal with as it was. “As long as the word you’re looking for is tail, not hunt. I don’t need any dead agents on my hands. I’ll send Torvald to accompany you.”

“I prefer to work alone. If he came with me I would have to watch my back.”

“You don’t trust me but you’ll trust politicians like Braxiatel? If anyone’s going to stab you in the back it’d be him.”

“Romana trusts him. She does not trust you.”

“People can misplace trust, even Presidents.”

 “You trust _Darkel_.” Leela pointed out. “She’d betray anyone.”

“She has no reason to betray me and I’m not going to give her any.”

Leela looked like she wanted to say more but shook her head. “I will follow your traitor. Just because we’re on the same side for once it does not mean I trust you.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll be back to warring soon.”

He watched Leela leave, waiting for her to move out of earshot and then called for Torvald.

“Yes, Coordinator?”

“Follow the savage. Just in case she uncovers some dangerous criminal conspiracy or whatever.”

 

 

Narvin once again had a block of time with no meetings and no urgent matters to attend to. He wouldn’t be of much use to Gallifrey if he’s comatose by sundown and that thought spurred him to attempt a nap, something he’d never usually consider in the middle of a work day, undeniable proof that the sleeplessness is getting to him.

Of course, since the Universe seems to conspire against him, Torvald chose that moment to burst in. “Coordinator?”

Narvin couldn’t decide whether to kill Torvald or just fire him. Maybe his next incarnation would be able to leave him alone for more than a span. “Yes?”

“Leela is in a fight with Vandak.”  

“Shouldn’t you be making sure she doesn’t die? I don’t think the President would take that very well.”

“Uh, I thought I should get you. I wasn’t sure who I should be attacking.”

Narvin resisted the urge to sigh. Did he have to do everything around here? “Keep the Chancellory Guard on standby and give me your staser.”  

 

He had no idea how Leela managed to hold her own against Vandak for so long armed with only a primitive knife while her opponent had a high grade CIA staser. K-9 was lying on his side, completely inoperational which was the perhaps the reason Leela seemed so full of rage.

Neither of them had noticed him yet so he kept still, not completely knowing who he was going to help. Suddenly Leela stumbled, knife dropping from her grasp and Vandak aimed his staser. Narvin’s reaction was faster and Vandak collapsed before he could fire.

Leela panted, recovering her knife and then turning around to find the source of the blast. “Narvin?” Her relief melted away, replaced by suspicion. “How did you know I was here? Are you spying on me?”

“One of my operatives happened to notice the fight and decided to tell me, for reasons unknown. I’m beginning to suspect half of them don’t have independent minds.”

“They are cowards, that’s why.”

“Did you start the fight?”

Leela ignored him and knelt down, gently prying a panel from K-9, no doubt trying to replicate the repairs she’d seen Romana do a hundred times.

“You’ll scramble his circuits,” he muttered, “let me.”

Leela stepped back and Narvin started to fiddle with the circuits. “How did the fight start?”

“He caught me following him and attacked me, is that not proof enough? No innocent person would react that way.”

“No it isn’t. He’ll say you started it or were trying to assassinate him or something, you’ll be the one in trouble.”

Leela’s eyes narrowed in instant outrage. “What? No words would save him if he attacked Romana or someone else important!”

“No,” he agreed, “Romana’s the President if you hadn’t noticed and that would constitute High Treason.”

Leela scowled. “You Time Lords could get away with murder if the victim was not of this world or unimportant and you said the right words.”

“Get angry at the judiciary or society then, not me. I stopped this becoming murder! Though, I’m sure the President would consider bringing back the mindprobe had he harmed you.”

“That is not what I meant, he could not have beaten me but not everyone can defend themselves like I can. While I lived with Andred I learnt much of your world and its many injustices.”

“And you blame me for them?”

“You do not do anything about it.”

“It’s not my job to. Does your friend the Madam President do anything? Really?”

“Yes! She tries, at least, and it’s people like you that stop her.”

“That’s her job. Complicating her job is also part of my job, that’s how politics works, Presidents can’t just change anything they like.”

If looks could kill Narvin would have used up his entire regeneration cycle during the conversation but K9 thankfully distracts Leela by whirring back to life.

 “K9!” Leela swooped down to pat him, her animosity towards Narvin temporarily forgotten. “You were a brave dog.”

Narvin resisted the urge to comment on how the computer could never have disobeyed its programming and therefore could not demonstrate bravery and instead checked the pockets of Vandak. Narvin stood up, rewarded with a suspicious computer chip.

 “What’s that?”

“It might be reason he acted so defensively towards you.”

“Defensively?” Leela snorted, “Is that what you call it?

“K9, guard him.”  There was no response and he glanced at Leela.

“K9, do what Narvin said.”

“Affirmative.”

Narvin quickly walked to the nearest computer terminal, Leela trailing behind.

“I did not need your help, Narvin.”

“I know.”

“But it was a good thing to do.”

He didn’t respond to that, instead focusing on finding out what the chip held. He soon hissed, “The traitor!”

Leela stared at the screen but the shorthand Gallifreyan was beyond her rudimentary understanding of the language and the automatic translator wasn’t working, the Matrix trying to censor something from her.

“He was stealing secrets?” she guessed.

“Something like that.” He muttered. “It seems I have an interrogation to conduct. Go do whatever you’re actually meant to be doing. Some of us have jobs to do.”

 “I do a lot.” Leela sniffed. “Lots of people want to hurt Romana.”

“And she has the entirety of the Chancellory Guard at her disposal for that very purpose.”

“You are grouchier than usual today,” Leela remarked.

“I haven’t been sleeping.”  

“You should. Thank you for repairing K9.”

 

Romana was in his office again, though fortunately this time the meeting hadn’t started with him insulting her.

“Our temporary alliance was quite beneficial, Narvin The arrest of your rogue agent smoothed over the negotiations.”  

“I take it the CIA can resume its normal activities then.”

“Spy on the monans? No. Not officially, anyway.”

He was sure she was far from done with messing with his affairs and only conceding the point to focus on other matters but he smiled for a moment. “Thank you, Madam President. Is that all?”

“No.” Romana placed the same stack of reports he’d read the other day on his desk. “I’ve highlighted all the parts of recent reports that are obviously fabricated, I expect a truthful version by second sunrise. Or at least a version closer to the truth.”

Narvin stared at the stack for a moment and then muttered, “Your savage was right about one thing. This alliance is short lived.”

“I didn’t hear you properly, Coordinator.”

“You’ll get the reports. Madam President.”

She nodded and turned to leave, stopping at the door. “And Narvin? Do try to get some sleep. Rassilon knows you’re hard enough to deal with on a good day.”

“Helpful. Why didn’t I think of that?” He muttered under his breath.

He waited until she’d left his wing of the building and then called Torvald, giving him the stack of reports. “Remind all our agents to stop underestimating the Madam President’s intelligence in their reports.”

Torvald raised an eyebrow. “Are you this polite about all your political enemies?”

“Only the ones that deserve it.”

 


End file.
